Researchers at Newcastle University have found ways to lesson the impact of bombings on trains. The 7/7 London bombings in which 52 passengers died and the Madrid bombing in 2004, where 191 people were killed, show how terrorists can target the rail network with deadly affect.

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Researchers modified a train carriage to make it withstand a bomb blast better. A cheap plastic coating was put on the glass windows, roof panels, speakers and lights were tethered in place to stop them flying through the carriage.

Engineers from Newcastle have been developing blast-resilient train carriages to minimise the impact that a terror attack might have to the public and emergency services.

Preventing flying objects is the key.

Tethering ceiling panels reduced the risk of fatalities and injury from flying shrapnel and also meant the gangways were kept relatively clear of debris, allowing emergency staff quick access to the injured.

– Conor O'Neill, who leads the team from Newcastle University's School of Mechanical and Systems Engineering

Newcastle University has developed a range of blast-resistant trains to reduce the deadly impact of terror attacks on public transport. Experts studied the devastation caused in the Madrid and London bombings to come up with designs, which reduce debris and contain expolosive shock waves.